Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > Entegra Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-02-2018, 07:15 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
bamaspiveys's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
couple of electrical questions

What battery does the generator use to start?

Had an issue getting the generator started, used the battery boost that did not help. Coach cranked just fine no issues but had to drive over an hour before the generator would start.

Sitting in Walmart parking lot, I hit the leveling jacks and the lights went out in the coach. They came back on when the jacks finished.

The generator has been running for 24 hours, they were on a float charge when I tried to retract the jacks and the lights went our again, the leveling jack panel shows low voltage and now I can't get the front shades to come up!
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
bamaspiveys is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 07-02-2018, 07:37 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
brobox's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,622
Michael,
The generator starts off the house batteries, for just the reason you found....if they go dead you can still drive away.

When the batteries are that weak, the jump switch has to be held for a few minutes, to maybe 10 minutes. I use a golf T wedged under the switch to save my thumb from holding it.

As for the other problems....it's sounds like your house batteries have reached the end of their life cycle. They do not have enough AMPS to run several items at a time. My 2014 batteries only made it 2 years. They were on the low scale of quality for batteries.

For the shades and other items after the batteries we charged, turn the 12v switch off and reset everything. Things get goofy when the batteries have gone dead, been there on that one .
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
brobox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 07:55 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Montgomery, TX (Home Sweet Home)
Posts: 2,501
X2, everything you’re describing have one thing in common, the house battery bank.

Ideally you would charge and test the batteries to ensure that is the issue, not something else like a charge relay.

However, if you feel these batteries are pretty old, you could just install a new set and be on your way.

Depending on where you are, and what battery you want, Batteries+Bulbs, NAPA, or Sams club are good options.

-Matt

P.S. Where are you located?
__________________
Currently Motorhomeless
2017 Entegra Aspire 44R (bunks) towing 2019 F-350 LB (Sold)
2012 Tiffin Phaeton 40QKH (Our Phaeton was so nice, we bought it twice)
2016 Open Range RF376FBH (Sold)
Matt D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 09:00 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
757driver's Avatar


 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Bayfield, Ontario
Posts: 5,456
Michael,

Sounds like your house batteries may be shot. You may also want to check your settings in the Magnum inverter panel to see if it is set up for what you have and is actually charging properly. With the generator charging that long they should hold up better than they are.
__________________
Don & Gerri
2014 Entegra Anthem 44B
2014 Honda CRV Touring

1300W Solar, 1200AH LiFePO4 FMCA F443497
757driver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 09:09 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 8,055
Before you change the house batteries try cleaning the cables. (You should do it anyway when you change the batteries.) The only problem might be a dirty/corroded connection to the battery bank. When you put a high current load like the leveling jacks the connection can drop several volts thus messing up your whole 12 VDC system. Anything with a microprocessor or controller chip can have it's logic scrambled by low voltage. A power off reset should put things back on track.
nothermark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 10:44 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
LWBAZ's Avatar


 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 3,122
Michael, with your coach being a 2014, it could have been built as early as the first several months of 2013. As such, your house batteries could well be five years old. And as I recall, the Aspires of that era came with only four flooded-cell GC2 house batteries.

Five years is pretty much the expected life span for moderately priced flooded-cell deep-cycle batteries. Based on the symptoms you described, I'd say you’re due.
__________________
Larry & Amy Beckner
Scottsdale, AZ
2022 Newmar Super Star 4061
LWBAZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 10:58 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
bamaspiveys's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
Thanks for the replies. Yea we knew these batteries were on their last leg, so making a few calls from the road to stores on our route this week. I have Trojan L16s not having any luck finding anything with that Amp Hour rating but will keep looking.
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
bamaspiveys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 11:21 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
brobox's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,622
Michael, The Trojan L16s were not stock. Apparently they have been changed, do you know how old they are? Any chance of any warrant left? Maybe an Equlization might bring them back? Here is Trojan's site that might help https://www.solar-electric.com/trl16vo225ah.html
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
brobox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 11:59 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
LWBAZ's Avatar


 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 3,122
Michael, I can't say with certainty, but I may know the coach you have.

A neighbor of a friend of ours in the Dallas area had a 2014 Aspire 42-DEQ and I recall him installing a set of four L16 batteries in it not long before he replaced it with another coach. I don’t recall if the batteries were Trojans, but they may well have been.

That individual bought a new Tiffin motorhome from Davis Motorhome Mart in Memphis and I believe he traded in his Aspire at that dealership.

Any of that sound like a match? If so, your batteries may not be all that old. To be clear, they could still be problematic for a variety of reasons, but if they’re only a year or two old they may be salvageable.
__________________
Larry & Amy Beckner
Scottsdale, AZ
2022 Newmar Super Star 4061
LWBAZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-02-2018, 12:30 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
brobox's Avatar
 
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,622
Checked Trojan's site for L16 warranty, 2 years full replacement, up to 5 years prorated. https://www.solar-electric.com/lib/w...d_Warranty.pdf
If nothing else a Trojan dealer can test them for you for warranty.
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
brobox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2018, 05:59 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
bamaspiveys's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
Quote:
Originally Posted by LWBAZ View Post
Michael, I can't say with certainty, but I may know the coach you have.

A neighbor of a friend of ours in the Dallas area had a 2014 Aspire 42-DEQ and I recall him installing a set of four L16 batteries in it not long before he replaced it with another coach. I don’t recall if the batteries were Trojans, but they may well have been.

That individual bought a new Tiffin motorhome from Davis Motorhome Mart in Memphis and I believe he traded in his Aspire at that dealership.

Any of that sound like a match? If so, your batteries may not be all that old. To be clear, they could still be problematic for a variety of reasons, but if they’re only a year or two old they may be salvageable.
Yes, my coach is Ron's old coach. I have had the coach for 2 years and I think the records he left with the coach showed he put them in about a year before he traded it in. Ron left a lot of documentation in the coach, so I have a pretty good account of everything they did with the coach and all the Entegra warranty repairs. These batteries just took too many hits.
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
bamaspiveys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2018, 06:07 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
bamaspiveys's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 345
The L16s were added 3 to 4 years ago by the previous owner, I do not need that level of capacity. I was just looking at the options, decided to go with a battery the local RV store has in stock. Honestly finding a store that had 4 matching batteries in stock was a little tougher than I thought.

As for the condition of these, we knew they were due to be replaced. Last year someone unplugged my coach in storage and they drained down to 7 volts. This winter when the radiator was being replaced, the lights were left on in the coach and they went below 12v again. I was able to equalize a few times and get them to recover, it was just their time to go.

Thanks for all the input, new ones will be installed by the end of the day. I took about 10 pictures of the current wiring connections and a video to make sure I put it back together correctly.

moving on, time to celebrate the 4th!
__________________
Michael & Wendy
2014 Entegra Aspire 42DEQ
2017 Chevy Tahoe Z71(hers)
2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited(his)
bamaspiveys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2018, 06:09 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Gary.Jones's Avatar


 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 11,531
Blog Entries: 1
Have your batteries load tested before you reach for the wallet to have them replaced...you could have one completely shorted cell.

Gary
__________________
Gary and Dee, Zowie and Bowie (traveling cat sibs)
2019 Cornerstone 45B, X15-605hp, Imperial, Spartan K3,
2013 Honda CR-V toad, Demco Excali-Bar II,
Demco Baseplate, Demco Toad Light system, 73 de W5FI
Gary.Jones is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2018, 06:12 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Old Scout's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,396
….weak batteries could be the issue but it could also be the cable connections are corroded.....bad connections will show good voltage but wont allow higher amps to draw from bats....
__________________
Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
Old Scout is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
electric, electrical



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ohio RV cyclist couple looking for another couple to ride with buckeyemike North Central Region 6 09-13-2014 02:21 PM
Couple of odd electrical questions Hutchtrans Monaco Owner's Forum 5 07-19-2013 11:14 PM
A Couple Pics, A Couple Questions, VMSpc Madrona Monaco Owner's Forum 6 09-13-2010 04:39 PM
Changing to TranSynd - Couple of Questions..... Capt Joe Workhorse and Chevrolet Chassis Motorhome Forum 29 03-22-2009 05:54 PM
Couple of Used Diesel Pusher Questions Bill Moss Class A Motorhome Discussions 12 02-24-2009 10:39 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.